Submitted by Dan Rich

Richard A. Wachs Sr.

Dec. 17, 1919 - July 6, 2005

South Bend Tribune 7/8/2005

Richard A. Wachs Sr., 85, was born Dec. 17, 1919, in Mishawaka, Ind., to Joseph L. Wachs and Eleanor (Hansen) Wachs, who preceded him in death. He was also preceded in death by his wife, Dorothy Jane (Wiley) Wachs in 1987; his brother, Robert J. Wachs of Edwardsburg, Mich.; and sister, Betty (Wachs) Meuninck of South Bend, Ind.

Two sons, Richard A. Wachs Jr. of West Lafayette, Ind., and Dean E. Wachs of South Bend, and a companion, Helen Kelly of Mishawaka, Ind., survive him.

He lived in South Bend, Ind., for the past 50 years. In 1942 he enlisted in the Army Air Force as an aviation cadet and married Dorothy Jane Wiley at Maxwell Field, Montgomery, Ala., in November 1943. He was a radio operator on a B-29 bomber stationed in the Pacific on Guam. He flew 22 missions over Japan. He was awarded the Air Medal with two oak leaf clusters and the Distinguished Flying Cross. He was honorably discharged at Baer Field, Fort Wayne, Ind., in 1945. He was employed at Dodge Manufacturing Corp. for 38 1/2 years. He was the manager of the tool engineering dept. and also worked in the industrial engineering dept. as a manufacturing analyst, retiring in 1978. He was a member of the VFW Mishawaka Post and was a member of the Albright United Methodist Church.

Friends may call from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, July 9th, in Bubb Funeral Chapel North, 3910 N. Main St., where funeral services will be conducted at 1 p.m., with Rev. Warren Kirkwood officiating. Interment will be at Fairview Cemetery, Mishawaka, IN. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to a favorite charity.